The special autonomous province in Northern Gyeonggi Province, which is being promoted by Gyeonggi Province, is different from Jeju Special Self-Governing Province, Gangwon Special Self-Governing Province, and Jeonbuk Special Self-Governing Province. ...
The special autonomous province in Northern Gyeonggi Province, which is being promoted by Gyeonggi Province, is different from Jeju Special Self-Governing Province, Gangwon Special Self-Governing Province, and Jeonbuk Special Self-Governing Province. First of all, Gyeonggi-do should be preceded by the reorganization of administrative districts separating Northern and Southern Gyeonggi-do. After that, a two-step procedure is needed to make Northern Gyeonggi Province a special autonomous province. Special autonomy is different from other cases in that it is necessary to go through two-step procedures. For these two stages, the 21st National Assembly already has a "Act on the Establishment of Gyeonggi-do Province" initiated by representatives Kim Min-chul and Kim Sung-won, respectively. Since then, the Special Bill on the Establishment of Special Self-Governing Province in Northern Gyeonggi Province has a bill proposed by Rep. Kim Min-chul on February 15, 2023, and a bill proposed by Rep. Choi Chun-sik on April 13, 2023. On April 14, 2023, Rep. Kim Sung-won also submitted a special bill on the establishment of a special autonomous province in Northern Gyeonggi Province and the designation of a special economic freedom zone in the border area. In order to become a special autonomous province in Northern Gyeonggi Province, such a bill must be reviewed in combination. If a government integration bill comes out in this process, it would be more welcome. The legislation of the merged hearing is up to the National Assembly, but it is also a part that requires cooperation from the central government, Gyeonggi Province, and the National Assembly. In order to establish a special autonomous province in Northern Gyeonggi Province, there are many difficulties, such as the timing and scope of the Gyeonggi Provincial Council's opinions, the timing and scope of the referendum for Gyeonggi residents, and the timing of the passage of the law. Conventionally, the discussion on the reorganization of administrative districts in Gyeonggi-do was the so-called Gyeonggi branch, that is, the establishment of Gyeonggi-do. Discussions on the establishment of a special autonomous province in Northern Gyeonggi Province have been discussed since the 2022 local elections. Unlike previous studies, this study reviews various discussions that may occur in the establishment of special autonomy in Northern Gyeonggi Province and presents alternatives from a legal policy perspective.